The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-06-01
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
The Constitutional Convention OF 1887
Struggle TO Form Federal Union.
IBy Judge Lewis Jordan.l


The convention which made the Consti-
tuition of the United States met in Phil
adelphia in May, 1887. The deputies from
the States, as The members were called,
were slow in assembling. The date of meet
ing was fixed for May IA, but it was not
until May % that representatives from
seven States appeared, and the convention
was organized by the election of George
Washington as its president. 1t is interest
ing TO note the disorganized condition OF
the States one hundred years ago, and to
study the struggle for permanent and
efficient government, which finally Gull
minated in the Constitution of the United
States. Prior to 1774 there was no concert
of action among the colonies. September
of that year deputies from the
colonies met IN Philadelphia aud
formed the first formal Congress. The
object of the meeting was to oppose
British innovations by whatever measures
that might be found best adapted to the
occasion without losing sight OF reconcilia-
ton with Great Britain. The dissuasive
measures had no effect, and another Con-
gress met in 1775. This Congress adopted
the Declaration OF Independence. But 1t
did more. 1t inaugurated movement to
unite the colonies in a perpetual union.
While the declaration was under discus
sion, a committee, consisting of one men,
Der from each colony, was appointed to
prepare and digest form Of confederation
| for the future management of the common
| interests. Up to this time everything had
been left to the discretion of Congress,
which had no chart or plan to guide its
actions. On the 21st OF July, 1775, more
| than 8 year before the declaration, DR..
Franklin had prepared and presented to
| Congress a sketch of plan entitled AR
| ticles OF Confederation and Perpetual
| Union of the Colonies"
But this plan of Franklin, although the
word 'pepetuaP was used, provided for
return of the colonies to a connection with
| Great Britain if the mother country should
deal justly with them.
This plan of Benjamin Franklin was
taken as the basis Of the plan reported to
| Congress Lby the committee on July 12
! 1776. The report of the committee is in
the handwriting of Mr.. Dickinson, and,
although it was made eight
days ! after the the adoption .oH O. the
instead Of States is Used. This plan was
debated and amended from time to time
until the nth of November, III, when the
articles Of confederation were agreed to by
| Congress and then submitted to the States
for approval. 1t will thus be seen that it
took Congress from July II, l776,, TO No;
| VEN Der IL, 1l4I, to agree upon plan OF
union. This was due a. the conflicting
interests, and the reluctance of the States
to part with any of their rights as inde-
| pendent States. But after the adoption of
the plan by Congress, It's adoption by the
States was not completed until March,
1871, when Maryland agreed to it. March
2, 17S1, Congress assembled under the new
form of government. The articles of con-
federation served TO unite the States while
the Revolutionary war lasted, but
alter its close it became clear
ly apparent that some other
plan of government must be adopted.
II ere was a very general feeling that the
| FeGeTal Government in its existing shape
January p, 17S6, Virginia passed rssolu-
| ton which proposed and invited a meeting
of deputies from all The States to take into
confederation the trade of the United
States; to examine the relative situations
and trade of said States; to consider how
far a uniform system in their commercial
regulations may be necessary to their COM
mon interest and their permanent har.
mony, and to report to the several States
such an act relative to this great object as
when unanimously ratified by them would
enable the United States in Congress effect
uaIly to provide for the same.
The exigencies of the Revolutionary war
led to the adoption Of the articles of con-
federation, and the necessity of adopting a
uniform system of commercial regulations
led to the adoption of the Constitution OF
the United States. One was the child of
war; the other the child of peace.
James Madison, Edmund Randolph and
. st. George Tucker were appointed deputies
: from Virginia under the above resolution,
and as the time and place for the meeting
Of the convention was left to them, they
named Annapolis, Md, as the place, and
/ the first Monday in September, 1856, as the
, time.
} Oniy four States responded to this cal
: from Virginia-yiz, Delaware, PennsylYa
MIA, New Jersey and New York.
The deputies from these States were very
: much embarrassed because more Of the
States had not responded, but they agreed
to a report of a committee, drafted
! by Colonel Hamilton, recommending
a convention with powers adequate to the
occasion and named the second Monday
| IN May 1887, as the time and Philadel phis
| as the place for meeting Of the convention.
The report OF the Annapolis convention
, was held before Congress during the session
: of 1856, and referred to grand committee
! of one from each State which did not report
: until February, 17S7. The committee, bys
majority of one only, conceded with the
, | opinion expressed at Annapolis that the
: | articles of federation needed amendment
, and adopted the proposed convention.
Before this action by Congress, Virginia
on the ed Of November, 1856, passed Law
authorizing the appointment OF deputie!
to the proposed convention, and on the
| 4th of December appointed deputies, Gen
] eral Washington heading the list.
2 All the other States, except Rhode Island
followed the lead of Virginia and ap
: pointed deputies.
e Monday, May IA, 1857, was the day Fixed
: for the meeting OF the convention at Phil
: adelphia but on that day only a small
number had assemb led, and it was not IN
til Friday, May 25, that deputies from
seven States appeared, and the convention
was organized by the election of Genera
Washington as its president.
The history of the long struggle to or
ganize the States into a Federal Union II
an interesting one, and the part that eact
of the prominent actors took in that strug
gle should be familiar to every citizen o
the Union which they labored so long and
so hard to create. Washington and Madi
son were the leading spirits in the move
ment, and there are ample arguments OF
both sides as to which of the two should b
called the father OF the Constitution.
This year the boys should make them
selves familiar with this history.
Found entity of Murder.
WILMINGTON, N. c., Nav 24.-Grant Best